Display rack



May 17, 1932. R.'-H. WILL-COX DISPLAY RACK Filed July 21. 1930- (M! II I rm mu M 111111) I 11 7 'INVENTOR,

Poderzckff Mil/cox ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 17, 1932 DISPLAY RACK Application filed. July 21, 1930. Serial No. 469,427.

My invention relates to display racks. It

has to do particularly with the provision of a novel type of display rack that is especially adapted for the display of a number of rolls of coated fabrics, such as oilcloth, pyroxylin coated fabrics, et cetera. It is not necessarily limited to use in the display of this class of material.

In the past, various typesof display racks have been utilized for the display of material of the type indicated but such-display racks have been unduly bulky and expensive, many of them being constructed to occupy floor space that could be otherwise used to much greater advantage. These prior art display racks, though sometimes collapsible, have ordinarily been of such structure as to occupy an excessive space, even when collapsed.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a display rack which is extremely cheap and which is, at the same time, amply efficient to take care of the adequate display. of numerous rolls of the material for which they are designed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a display rack which may be hung upon the wall or upon a post and which will, nevertheless, have ample rigidity to permit of the independent removal of any roll without interference with or displacement of other rolls mounted upon the rack.

Another object of my invention is to provide a display rack which, though designed to receive and display a number of rolls, will be readily foldable into a relatively small package so that it may. be easily shipped with or without the rolls which it is designed to support.

My invention preferably takes the form of a display rack embodying a plurality of spaced vertical chains with rings disposed at regular intervals thereon. These rings align in pairs on opposing chains and each pair is adapted for the reception of a pole which is designed to support one or more rolls of the material to be displayed. Each pole is independently removable to an extent sufiicient to permit of the ready removal of the roll or rolls being displayed thereon. My

device preferably also comprises a plurality RODERICK H. WILLCOX, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 COLUMBUS COATED FABRICS CORPORATION,.OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A COREORATION OF-0HIQ of spacing rods, one being adjacent the .up-v I per end of the rack and the other being adjacent the lower end thereof.

The preferred embodiinent of myinventlon is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my display rack, shown mounted upon a wall.

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of my display rack, illustrating the structure of the chains, the type of ring used and the manner in which the pole is mounted within said ring.

Figure 3 is a detail,- inside elevation, of one ofthe rings which I preferably utilize and illustrating the manner of its connection to the chain, as well as the mounting of the pole therein.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a series of rolls of material with my rack in folded condition disposed in the center thereof for shipment. I 7

In the drawings my display rack is shown as comprising main chains 1 and 2 which are adapted to hang vertically. These main chains 1 and 2 are connected at their upper ends by means of a spacing plate 3 which turer, jobber or dealer, in the'material to be displayed. The lower ends of the chain are also adapted to be connected to a spacing rod 4. This structure forms a rectangle wherein the main chains are effectively held a definite distance apart throughout their lelngths under all normal conditions of disp ay.

The u per edge of the spacing plate 3 is preferabl y provided with apertures 5 for the reception of supporting chains 6. These supportingchains 6 carry rings upon their upper extremities as at 7, which rings may be supported from nails,'screws or other means. If desired the upper extremities of the chain 6 may be connected together by a chain so that the rack may-be hung from one nail or screw instead of two. r

The main chains land 2 are preferably equipped with a pluralityeof pairs of rings 8, the units of each pair being disposed upon the respective chains in alignment with each other. Each pair of rings is designedfor the reception of a pole such as indicated at 9. Furthermore, the rings are preferably so mounted upon the chains that they are at an angle to the flat surfaces thereof and also at an oblique angle to the. axes of the poles which they are adapted to receive. The result is that the poles, particularly with the rolls of material thereon, are subjected to a braking action which tends to prevent the accidental unrolling of the roll. Furthermore, the rings are of such a structure and are of such adiameter that-theremoval and release of one end of the pole, as for instance in the removal of a roll, will result in the pole being tilted to a position where it will be held against sliding out of the one ring which still supports it, as illustrated in Figure 1.

.It will be seen from this description that I have provided a display rack which is amply rigid for supporting rolls upon a wall or post 1 but which may be readily rolled or collapsed for transportation or storage. The structure is such, however, that the rack will remain in extended position during use with the vertical chains maintained properly spaced, even during the removal of one or more rolls or poles therefrom. Thus, spreading of the chains during the removal of any individual roll so as to cause accidental release of any of the remaining rolls will be guarded against.

' It has already been pointed out thatthe poles which support the rolls are maintained against too-free rotation by the braking effect of the rings which support them and of the chains with which they inevitably contact. This'serves a double function. Itprevents accidental unrolling of the material of any roll and makes feasible the severance of any selected length of material from a roll Without removing this roll from the display rack.

It has likewise been made clear that one end of a pole may be removed from its SUI). port ng ring and permitted to drop, without vertically disposed chains made up of links having flat surfaces, means for maintaining said chains in spaced vertical relation, rings disposed at an angle to said Vertically disposed chains and interlocked in loops of said chains for supporting a plurality of poles, and poles adapted to contain the material to be displayed mounted in said rings, the flat surfaces of the links of said chains engaging the peripheral surfaces of said poles to there-' by exert a braking action on said poles.

2. A display rack comprising a plurality of vertically disposed chains made up of links having flat surfaces, a spacing bar adjacent the upper end of said chains, a spacing bar adjacent the lower end of said chains, rings disposed at an angle to said vertically disposed chains and interlocked in loops of said chains for supporting a plurality of poles, and poles adapted to contain the material to be displayed mounted in said rings, the flat surfaces of the links of said chains engaging the peripheral surfaces of said poles to thereby exert a braking action on said poles.

In testimony whereof I hereby affiX my signature.

RODERICK H. VVILLCOX.

disengaging the other end of the pole from the ring which supports it. This greatly facilitatesthe removal and replacement of any roll upon a pole, since it is not necessary for the operator to retain his hold upon the pole pending the placing of a roll thereon.

It will be obvious that, even though the display rack is of simple form and cheap construction, it is nevertheless amply effective for the display of material of the type for which it is designed. Likewise, it is readily collapsible or rcllable for shipment. Also, it occupies a minimum of space when in actual use. 7 Y

, Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 

